Drugs Deaths Oct 2024 - Dec 2024

The latest figures show a welcome drop of 11% overall but the numbers released recently by Police Scotland remains unacceptably high.

Since 2021, REACH Advocacy has been in partnership with Public Health Scotland (PHS) to deliver education and training on the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards to lived/ living experienced individuals and staff from statutory and non-statutory services.

The MAT standards make up part of the guidance from the Scottish Government to help achieve Scotland's National Mission of reducing drug related deaths and harms. The ten standards not only outline guidance on pharmacological approaches to care and treatment but contain psychosocial measures for patients, such as:

• trauma informed practice,

• mental health support,

• advocacy and

• social support.

This holistic set of guidance is designed to promote wrap around support for patients by attempting to address root contributors to substance misuse such as stigma, poverty and deprivation as identified by Nicola Sturgeon in her drugs policy statement in 2021. 

To compliment this approach, and to ensure that these standards are baked into legislative frameworks, REACH developed a workshop which, while based on the MAT standards, takes a wider Human Rights-based approach. The result is a 1-day awareness workshop which focuses on upskilling individuals on key topics such as;

• social factors contributing to substance use disorder as a health condition;

• Human Rights legislation;

• practical educational frameworks to use when applying a Human Rights-based Approach;

• as well as the MAT Standards themselves and how they aim to ensure that the human rights of individuals are upheld, fulfilled and protected.

As the graphic below shows, by March 2023 REACH had delivered this training to over 800 participants across Scotland. It is still very much in demand today and features frequently in our calendar, often being tailored to meet the specific needs of an organisation.

From the Scot Gov Drug & Alcohol workforce learning directory

Taking a Human Rights-Based Approach

Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) & Human Rights-Based Awareness Workshops

These one-day workshops give attendees important context and understanding of human rights-based approaches and the MAT standards. These have been developed further, giving a more focused approach to women's rights, community justice and the rights of children (UNCRC) as part of the National Mission's 'Cross Cutting Policy Themes'.

Provider: Reach AdvocacyCost: Free places available